Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1887-10-08
A LETTER PROM PIOCHE-
. Retrospective and Prospective
View Of the Ola American Flag

view OF D OA0 American kIo8
Mine.
PIocHR, October l, 1887.
EDITOR SENTINEL: Since my last letter,
which appeared in the SENTINEL of June
%, a decided change for the better has
taken place in Phoebe; in fact, q veritable
bonanza in the b-oadest sense Of the word
has been found, or rather reached, on the
ninth and tenth levels Of the old "Amsri-
can Flag" now the Yuba mine. A retro
spective and prospective view Of this mine
may at present beo interes t to old Piechers
in Eureka and elsewhere, inasmuch as it is,
in my candid opinion. going to redeem the
old camp from its lsthargic condition to an
era of prosperity; one, too, which will be
far more preferable, permanent and legiti-
mate than those wild days of speculation
and blood which characterized the early
period of the camps history. Before
sketching the history Of the Flag or Yuba
mine, l will give the readers of the SEN
TINEL the benefit of a late visit to its lower
levels; for, although I had heard wonder
full stories as to the size and extent Of the
ore body, like other old prospectors who
nave WOTu u kOOu ue6l VI SuOo lthLleE OfCk
the hidden treasures of a dozen States and
Territories, I had swallowed the yarns
with a liberal allowance of salt. Feeling
this way IN the afternoon Of my visit to
the mine, l was really prepared to see a
passably fair vein of ore, although on
reaching the ore bin and viewing some so
tons Of metally stuff piled up, awaiting
shipment to Salt Lake City, and which I
was informed on reliable authority aver
aged $50 ounces in silver, $40 in gold and
70 per cent in lead, I began to think that
perhaps, after all, I was about to see q DO.
nanza. Being lowered to the ninth level I
found q crosscut leading east, IS feet of
which brought me to the face of the drift,
which, on inspection, proved to be a solid
mass of black ore, streaksd with steel
galena a foot in width, a sample of which
assayed 351 ounces of silver and 70 per
cent lead. The ore body at this point is
six feet between walls, and at the bottom
of 3 winze that is being sunk to the tenth
level, and down % feet, the ore body is
fully as large and of the same character.
On the tenth level o crescent taps the ore
about the same distance east from the
shaft, and the mass Of solid, black metal
that is exposed to view reminds one of .
coal mine, and gives color to q story that I
lately heard repeated in connection with
the mine; ia wit: "Pat hollooing to bis
pard to send down the dollar stamp, and
be jabors he would send up the price Of q
cocktail" The Flag, as nearly as I can
ascertain, was about the third location
made in the camp, the old Meadow Valley
and Kentuck taking precedence. It was
incorporated by a San Francisco company
in 1868, with q capital stock Of 10000
shares, Q. y. Griffin being President, and
George r. Spinney, Secretary. The bull
ion product of the mine for the following
years vas as follows: 1872, $45, 184 y;
1873, $74,39s II; 1874, s70,045; 1875.
S29, 646, a~ggregating S219.56S. The ore
which produced this bullion was milled
at BrllionvilIe, and ten tons of
"black jack" IS the present ore was
termed, were shipped to Eureka for re-
duction over Prichard's fast freight line at
the rate of 4 cents per pound, or $50 per ton;
add to this $50 per ton fer smelling charges
and the reader can readily understand why
the old company quit extracting the ore,
there was no furnace in this section at
the time. In 1874 r. H. Elan, ESQ.,, who
had been agent for the company for a
number of years, and who had expended a
of thousand dollars of his own on
the property, was advised by the company
to take the mine in paymen for his expend.
which the gentleman did, taking
into partnership james McFadden, q
thorough mill man and assayer. Both of
gentlemen have owned the property
since, and deserve great credit for their
indefatigable efforts in bringing it before
the public. Last Fall Sam Godbe, of
Salt Lake City, who has few equals on the
Coast as a practical miner, secured a bond
from the owners, and lost no time in re.
n nnpin0 tha olI shaft ,usth rou,,1fo ohova
It is Mr.. Goddess intention to
erect q large concentyator and furnace, also
one of the latest improved tramways, and
this end in view a force Of men will
be put to work grading inside of o few
More anon, J, G, K.